Wondering if you should repair or replace air conditioning equipment? Not a decision to be taken lightly, the right choice can cost you in terms of comfort and money. But repairing an aging A/C is akin to sinking money into a gas-guzzling car. However, in many — if not most — cases, upgrading to newer, high-efficiency equipment will generate a higher return on investment.
In fact, many experts recommend a replacement if your A/C is more than 10 years old, and here’s why:
- Higher efficiency – Air conditioners produced today have much higher seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER) numbers than units manufactured just 10 years ago. A higher SEER-rated A/C will generate better monthly energy savings, allowing you to more quickly recoup your initial investment in the system.
- Cleaner indoor air – Older units are designed to use basic filters that don’t do much to improve indoor air quality. Further technological advancements in air handlers allow newer air conditioners to run continuously at lower speeds, so indoor air will cycle through the system’s efficient filter more often, better purifying the air.
- Coil design – Older A/Cs generally use a metal/copper coil, which is highly susceptible to corrosion. Newer systems use better coils to bypass this problem.
- Home comfort – With the new technologies utilized in today’s air conditioners, homeowners often report a significant improvement in home comfort.
As a general rule, most experts recommend repairing your air conditioner if it:
- Is less than 10 years old
- Achieves satisfactory home comfort
- Doesn’t require a repair that costs more than 50 percent of the cost of a new A/C
If you’re not sure whether to repair or replace air conditioning, contact Arpi’s Industries for expert advice or to schedule a free home consultation. We serve the greater Calgary area.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about repairing or replacing your air conditioner and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
Arpi’s services Calgary, Alberta. Visit our website to see our special offers to get started today!
